Presidential hopefuls react to Justice Minister's proposed 'tough on crime' bill

New proposed regulations by the Justice Minister to introduce harsher penalties for crimes were commented on by all the presidential candidates. Andrzej Olechowski would sign a new regulation increasing the number of years spent in the prison and stresses serving the sentences should be mandatory. Jaroslaw Kalinowski of the Polish Peasant Party (PSL) and Marian Krzaklewski of Solidarity Election Action (AWS) share that opinion. Lech Walesa is also supporting the proposal but he would like the penalties to be even higher. Janusz Korwin-Mikke and Jan Lopuszanski, both representing the far-right would welcome the return of the death penalty. Piotr Ikonowicz, representing the Polish Socialist Party (PPS) would not endorse the changes, saying the lack of safety in Poland and increasing number of crimes is caused by the poverty of society so stiffer penalties are not the way to solve that problem. Incumbent President Aleksander Kwasniewski's spokesman Dariusz Szymczycha, said only that the President considers the proposal "immature". He said Kwasniewski considers more money for courts and policing more important than changing the criminal code. (Rzeczpospolita, page A2) A.D.